Paul Ong is a professor at UCLA’s School of Public Affairs and at the Department of Asian American Studies. He spent his early years in the Central Valley, and has now lived in Los Angeles for 25 years. “Los Angeles has a vibrancy. I enjoy the diversity. And at the same time, it faces many of the challenges that face the country — race relations, immigration, pollution, infrastructure,” Ong said. “We’re at this confluence of the positive and negative. As an academic, that’s exciting to study. As an individual, it can be frustrating.” Read more about Ong below.
Q. What is the last habit you tried to kick?
A. Laziness.
Q. Who was your childhood hero?
A. Robert Kennedy.
Q. What do you believe to be the greatest simple pleasure?
A. Zoning out when I’m jogging.
Q. What do you wake up to in the morning?
A. Usually sore ankles and knees from running.
Q. What is your most prized material possession?
A. My camera.
Q. What promise do you make to yourself that you break the most often?
A. That I will lose ten pounds.
Q. What is the best gift you have ever received?
A. It’s nothing material. I remember little things that my son has given me.
Q. If you could take only one more journey where would you go?
A. I would buy one of those unlimited round the world tickets.
Q. Who is the one person living or dead you would most like to meet for dinner?
A. Robert Kennedy.
To read about Ong’s panel on the Census, click here.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.